Rising: Ramadanman

For those less familiar with the music of David Kennedy, the artist more commonly known as Ramadanman – or Pearson Sound, depending on which side of his output you investigate – the rest of 2010 may prove to be an eye-opener. One of the founders of the increasingly influential Hessle Audio imprint, which so far this year has put out rising star James Blake’s gorgeous The Bells Sketch EP alongside a set of dubstep nocturnes from co-founder Pangaea, Kennedy’s own productions are as eclectic in style and substance as the music his label releases. Over the last six months or so he’s managed to refine his style further, creating a heavily stylized dance hybrid that’s as unnerving as it is exciting. His drum patterns have to be heard to be believed, managing to combine the space and restraint of old-school dubstep with the sort of manic energy you’d usually associate with early jungle. And all with a wildly futurist edge that brings to mind the rapid-fire chaos of the information age.



This last month has seen the release of three new sets of Kennedy’s tracks, each of which explores an entirely different side to his sound. Last month’s Ramadanman EP came out through his own label, and stuck closely to the hallmarks Hessle have made their own over the last couple of years – abstract rhythms that borrow heavily from two-step, and the same chilly, minimalist aesthetic that made the earliest dubstep so brutally compelling. ‘I Beg You’ is mournful to the point of unnerving, as is the jungle-influenced jitterbug motion of ‘A Couple Of Years’, and the overlapping layers of sound in ‘No Swing’ cascade over one another like a waterfall. At the opposite end of the scale are his collaborative tracks with Midland, released this week on Will Saul’s Aus Music label, both of which explore slower, moody house tempos. Think Todd Edwards, Joy Orbison and Mala battling it out in an abandoned car park.



Most interesting though, and highly recommended for anyone interested in checking out Ramadanman’s material out for the first time, is the Glut/Tempest 12” on Hemlock. Raved about by Gilles Peterson and Mary Anne Hobbs, both tracks here feel like the natural culmination of everything he’s done so far. ‘Glut’ hits the dancefloor buttons, setting a rattling vocal sample bouncing back and forth over a huge, euphoric build, and the understated ‘Tempest’ crafts a maelstrom of melody appropriate to its name. What’s so impressive about Kennedy’s music is how seamlessly it reconciles each separate aspect, creating a single entity that prioritises floor action but never at the expense of musicality. With more new bits to come over the next few months, it would be a shame if his name didn’t begin to find its way far further than the niche scene he’s typically associated with.

Words: Rory Gibb